Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for recognising and classifying damage incidents and/or contact incidents, in particular on motor vehicles, by detecting and evaluating at least one impact sound signal. Furthermore the invention relates to a device for performing the method, wherein the device comprises at least one impact sound sensor, which is connected with an evaluation unit for signal transfer. In addition the invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle comprising the above-mentioned device.
Brief Summary of the Related Art
Methods and devices for recognising damage incidents are known and are used, in particular, in the automobile field. The DE 100 34 542 for example discloses a method and a device for recognising the deformation of at least one structural part of a motor vehicle caused by an accident, by detecting an impact sound frequency spectrum. The impact sound frequency spectrum is passed to an evaluation unit as a sensor signal. At least one structural part is excited using a defined repeating frequency pulse, and the resulting impact sound frequency spectrum is detected and evaluated. This impact sound frequency spectrum is then compared with other impact sound frequency spectra resulting from the same frequency pulse and a significant difference is interpreted as being a deformation caused by an accident. No difference is made between types of accident. Further no provision is made for the detection of lesser damages such as scratches on the paintwork.
Structure-borne or impact sound sensors such as used in motor vehicles are predominantly designed for recognising collisions. Recognition of such major damage incidents by means of impact sound sensors is frequently utilised for protecting the occupants of the motor vehicle or other road users by triggering some form of protection. Usually an incident is evaluated by converting the detected impact sound signal, and this can be done, for example, by examining the energy of the impact sound signal or a spectrally resolved form of the impact sound signal. By comparing this with a previously determined threshold value it is for example possible, in case of a spectrally resolved impact sound signal, to make a decision as to whether for example an airbag shall be triggered or not triggered. A more detailed classification of the damage incident does not take place.
Therefore using the known methods it is not possible to decide whether the damage incident is for example a dent, a scratch on the paintwork or a major plastic deformation of the vehicle body. For a more accurate classification, i.e. for identifying the type of damage, an optical evaluation of the damage by means of a visual check, for example, is necessary. This is usually not possible while the vehicle is moving thus making it difficult to unequivocally assign the damage incident to a possible cause because of the time delay between incident and visual check.